1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a stereoscopic image generating method and a stereoscopic image generating apparatus, for generating stereoscopic images in which a plurality of images are laid out. The present invention is also related to a program that causes a computer to execute the stereoscopic image generating method.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that stereoscopic viewing that utilizes parallax is enabled by combining and displaying a plurality of images. Stereoscopic images that enable stereoscopic viewing may be generated by obtaining a plurality of images of a single subject using a plurality of cameras at different positions, then combining a plurality of images utilizing the parallax of the subject included in the plurality of images.
Specifically, stereoscopic images may be generated by causing colors in the plurality of images to be different, such as red and blue, then overlapping the images. Alternatively, stereoscopic images may be generated by causing the polarization directions to be different within the plurality of images, then overlapping the images. In these cases, stereoscopic images can be viewed three dimensionally, by viewers' eyes stereoscopically viewing the stereoscopic images, which are displayed using red/blue glasses or polarizing glasses, using the automatic focusing function of the eyes (the anaglyph method and the polarizing filter method).
It is also possible to view stereoscopic images three dimensionally without using polarizing glasses and the like. The parallax barrier method and the lenticular method enable stereoscopic images to be viewed three dimensionally, by displaying the stereoscopic images on a three dimensional liquid crystal display. In these cases, the stereoscopic images are generated by cutting the plurality of images into vertically extending stripes, which are then arranged alternately. Another example of a stereoscopic display method is the time division method, in which the light beam directions of left and right images are changed by the use of image separating glasses or by attaching optical elements to liquid crystal displays, and displaying the right and left images alternately.
A technique has been proposed in which stereoscopic images, which are viewable three dimensionally, and planar images, which are not viewable three dimensionally, are alternately switched and displayed during three dimensional display using the parallax barrier method (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-072269). Further, a technique has been proposed for three dimensionally displaying textures, by obtaining stereoscopic values that represent degrees of spatial effect, and performing pseudo three dimensional display by moving pixels of texture data according to the stereoscopic values (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,334).
A technique has been proposed for arranging and displaying CD booklet covers with perspective (CoverFlow by Apple Computer, Inc.). As illustrated in FIG. 26, the CoverFlow technique arranges a central image of interest such that it faces forward, and arranges other images such that they appear to be inclined toward the image of interest from the left and right thereof, by drawing the other images using the law of perspective. When one of the other images, which are arranged toward the left and the right of the image of interest, is selected, the selected image is displayed at the center facing forward, as the image of interest.
The CoverFlow technique draws images based on the law of perspective. Therefore, the image imparts perspective, but cannot be viewed three dimensionally, as a stereoscopic image.